#but none of the spine to use it
this is , and has always been , about control.
my father is a deacon in the Catholic church. i can say with authority and extreme research: abortion is not murder in the scripture. it has the same significance as “only fish on fridays during lent” - it is an invention of man and tradition.
if they cared about children, marrying a 13 year old would be illegal in every state. it is not illegal in every state. if they cared about children, about lives lost, about the value of life: they would have worked to make that life have value. where is the church, the religion - where is that, when it is time for anything else? when they close their eyes to their own priests? when they close their eyes to domestic violence? to marital rape?
if it was about life, prevention would be key. proper sex ed would be in every school. options for birth control would be in every hallway. we know these things work. we have known for a while. hiding from the problem never diminishes the problem. we are not seeking to actually-prevent unwanted pregnancies - so therefore an unwanted pregnancy must work as punishment for a behavior that is otherwise uncontrolled.
this is not about when and where life begins. there is already a discussion of bodily autonomy that exists, and it is legally bound to us. if i have died, even if my body could save one million children - i am not legally bound to give that body to those children. in death, where there is no debate; that the human soul or life or essence has passed from me - i still retain autonomy, and owe those children nothing.
jesus said, specifically, that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of god. it is a thesis restated many times in the bible; textual and specific evidence. and yet the church has not lobbied for wealth redistribution on the grounds that billionaires are going to hell, only prayed for the spirit of charity to flow amongst us. the american christian population is not disturbed and ashamed of their wealth. instead they see their wealth as a gift from god. there are not entire churches dedicated to picketing the estates of billionaires (unfortunately). it cannot be about the biblical evidence or jesus’s word, then.
it is about control. and people are going to die. and the church - despite telling us over and over how all life is precious, perfect, present - they will look at the bodies and shrug and say: your fault, shouldn’t have sinned. and then they will turn their eyes away.
